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Southern Sudan's Army Reports Clashes With Rebel Militia in Jonglei State
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Mar 2, 2011 - 6:55:41 AM

Clashes between Southern Sudan�s army and a rebel militia in Jonglei state killed as many as 40 soldiers and civilians in renewed fighting against the forces of renegade general George Athor, army spokesman Philip Aguer said.

�The wounded may be more than 50,� Aguer said by phone today from Juba, Southern Sudan�s capital. He said he had no details about casualties among Athor�s forces in the clashes on Feb. 27.

Fighting on Feb. 9-10 between the army and Athor�s rebels killed 197 people in Jonglei, according to Southern Sudan�s ruling party. The region�s security forces have deployed troops to prevent the militia from reaching villages in the area, Aguer said.

The government of oil-rich Southern Sudan, which is due to become independent in July, signed a cease-fire agreement with Athor�s forces on Jan. 5. Paris-based Total SA owns 32.5 percent of a 118,000 square-kilometer (46,000 square-mile) concession in Jonglei and Lakes states.

At independence, Southern Sudan will assume control of about three-quarters of Sudan�s current oil production of 490,000 barrels a day, pumped mainly by China National Petroleum Corp., Malaysia�s Petroliam Nasional Bhd. and India�s Oil & Natural Gas Corp. Sudan had five billion barrels of proven oil reserves as of January 2010, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Athor, a former chief of staff in Southern Sudan�s army, took up arms against the government after losing a state election in April.

Almost 99 percent of Southern Sudanese voters chose independence last month in a referendum that was the centerpiece of a peace agreement ending a two-decade civil war with the north.



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